The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-18
VIZ
ny MRS. LOUISA GIBSON

A dread and awful shape was he, with tirelesf
foot and wing,
With forkod tongue, with teeth and claw, and
every claw q sting:
A sheathcd and scaly monster, with eyes and
breath of flame,
And heart as cruel as the grave, that naught
could melt or tame.
He spread his dreadful length along before the
city's gate;
His eyes were full of longing, his heart was full
of hate,
No human strength availeth The hapless ones
are lost.
Unless their lives they purchase, lat what a
bitter cost
One price alone, so runs the tale, the hideous
nend demands;
They may not buy their safety with treasured
gold or lands.
Far more, alasl He claims each day before
the sun goes down,
A fair young maid to be devoured, a ransom
for the town.
For many day this llendlsh thing his bloody
station kept,
And many maid had shuddering died, and
many n mother wept;
When cross the plain there rode at speed
valiant christian knight,
His arm was strong, his heart was brave, his
armor tried and bright.
Upon his shield and helmet ablood-red cross he
wore,
The blessing of high heaven was on the lance he
bore.
pa.r anna ha
watching peoples prayer.
As hope re-dyed their trembling lips, grown
pallid with despair.
The Dragon saw the knight approach, and
roared with rage and fear.
lie knew .he sacred symbol and felt his doom
was near;
Not tamely would he perish, he reused to meet
his foe,
And ali the strength of demon hate was felt in
every blow.
Long hours the fight was raging, fearful sight
l deem:-
While many wound on either side poured out
crimson stream,
And long and loud thanksgvings arose from
the trembling town,
When at last the dreaded Dragon before the
cross went down.
deemed it only legend How.llttle of life
knew
Now older grown and wiser, 1 know that the
tale is true.
Nay, morei have learned. with sorrow that
the brood of the Dragon slain,
As cruel, rs fierce, as deadly, a countless host
remain
They hunger for human victimsl As OF old
they lie in wait
And every town and hamlet hath Dragon at
its gate.
His breath is sitting poison, his blood is liquid
flame.
His eyes are scared and bloodshot, lie has no
heart to tame.
Not love nor gold can bride him; he shrieks in
savage glee,
bring blood and tears and broken hearts. At
sacrifice to mel''
And though along our shudderng veins q thrill
of horror runs,
We Weld the awful tribute, our brothers and
our sons
Their mouths with bitter curslng, their hearts
with hate he fills,
He blasts the features that we love, and poisons
ere he kills
Living, yet dying daily, thepangs of death they
know,
Yet linger on to suffer despair and nameless
woe,
No anguish wakes his pity; he but turns to his
again,
For this horrid offspring of the pit grows fat on
the souls of men.
oh for knight like good st. George, rescuer
to be!
To strike the monster to the heart and set the
people freel
oh for mighty army of valiant men and true,
Each man a champion in himself heroic work
to do;
A band of new crusaders eager TO sally forth,
To hunt him from his secret haunts and drive
him from the earth.
oh happy, happy city that hasit Dragon slain
Within whose bounds no hidden taints no seeds
of him remain.
Where sons and daughters safely walk, and
every home may be
oh Alcohol, thou Demon in truth we've given
thee muchl
All pure, all bright, all lovely things are with
cred at thy touch
" hat hosts Of human creatures what loves,
what hopes have gonel
a sickening tribute wrung from each for thee
to feed upon
God speed the day when we may say, Behold
the tyrant diesl"
Then may'st thou moulder in thy tomb and
never, never rise.
The Prohibition campaign must be made
strictly on the ground whether prohibition Is